Just thinking ahead a bit now - next patch will be trade, some small changes, and performance/SEO stuff to prepare for launch. After that, I'd like to work on a patch that will introduce a Resurrected graphics skin switch for the site.
In order for that to happen, there will be a ton of graphics and artwork stuff to be done. Pulling the item inventory graphics from the game files has proven simple enough, but that's only items. The skin switch mechanic itself is already coded, so that's already a lot of the work out of the way.
However there are other things will require a bit of teamwork, and I'd like to plan ahead and pick your brains about how we're going to achieve this. I know a lot of people here are very technical indeed so hoping for some Insight on the methods used.
First of all, I want to maintain both the scale and the perspective of every graphic and icon that already exists on the site:
- I know Resurrected is offering much higher fidelity artwork and models, which are presentable at a larger size, but I'd like them to remain at the same scale as the original D2 ones here on d2io. This also ties into future plans for a tetris inventory (which requires items to meet those
itype
'boxes occupied' dimensions that you're all familiar with. Whilst the graphics will seem small for some, it will keep the continuity of design on the site and has practical reasons too as mentioned re: the tetris inventory for grail tracker, build planner etc. - The original game had sprites that could be rendered from the same perspective and direction using an extraction tool. Resurrected, on the other hand, is using full 3D environment with 3D models, instead of sprite sheets. Therefore we need to find out a way to consistently 'photograph' these models - so first we'd need to find a way to extract the 3D models, get them rendered in 3D with a program, setup consistent lighting/lighting angle, and from the same camera altitude/angle as the current graphics on d2io take a picture, then Mask it for transparency. This applies to things like Monsters and NPCs for example.
- Using that same method, I'd like for any equippable item to have a block on the entry's page with either 1. A 3D model preview of how the item looks when equipped on the different character models, or 2. Have in-game screenshots of characters wearing said item. I'd also add an extra block with a much larger and higher quality item artwork for those items that have it.
What are your guys' thoughts on my plans for this, and what advice can you give me in facing the technical challenges ahead?
Teebling
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